Cooking competitions bring out everything you want in a good reality TV show - the thrill of competition, creative culinary skills, and mouth-watering dishes that keep you glued to the screen. With the added bonus of dramatic twists, tense eliminations, and on-screen drama, these shows are just so addictive to watch! So whether you’re a foodie, an aspiring chef, or just someone who enjoys good television, here are the five best cooking competition shows that you must add to your watch list.

1. Hell’s Kitchen: A Fiery Culinary Experience

There’s no chef out there more well-known than the iconic Gordon Ramsay. In this reality cooking show, Ramsay puts aspiring chefs through rigorous cooking challenges and dinner services at his restaurant in Hollywood, “Hell’s Kitchen”. Thanks to his fiery temperament and surprisingly sharp line of criticisms, viewers are constantly at the edge of their seats. Which chef is going to be next to piss off Chef Ramsay?

But with the winner getting a head chef position at one of Ramsay’s famous restaurants or an alternative cash prize, the high stakes just make the show even more engaging to watch. Serving a hearty platter of entertainment, thrills, and culinary inspiration, this show is a classic must-watch.

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2. MasterChef: Journey from Home Cook to Culinary Chef

MasterChef is another one of Gordon Ramsay’s popular shows but with a twist. Instead of pitting professional chefs against one another, the contestants are actually home cooks! These home cooks have a strong passion for food, a desire to elevate their skills, and a heated drive to win the whole competition. Facing off in weekly challenges, these home cooks are put to the test and are judged by a panel of experts including Gordon Ramsay himself. Thanks to the contestants’ varying backgrounds and immense growth throughout the competition, there’s an added touch of relatability that makes this show so entertaining. Through all the pressure, the triumphs, and the joy of creating something truly delicious, we love rooting for all these brave home cooks!

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3. The Great British Bake Off: Sweetness Overload

The Great British Bake Off provides viewers with a gentler, but equally entertaining spin on the cooking competition format. Set in a tent in the British countryside, amateur bakers face off in a series of challenges, creating everything from traditional pastries to the most extravagant cakes. The goal? Impress the judges! 

With friendships built among the contestants, delightful British humour, healthy competition, and an abundance of mouth-watering baked goods, this show has so much charm to it. As the perfect blend of competition and comfort, this is a must-see for any of you with a sweet tooth.

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4. Chopped: Against the Clock Culinary Battles

Incredibly fast-paced and suspenseful, Chopped is an epic cooking show where four chefs battle it out by creating a three-course meal under a ticking clock. To make things even more intense, the contestants have to use mystery ingredients contained in a basket for their dishes. With a mix of everyday items and some truly bizarre elements, creativity is key to winning the competition. With its rapid pace and wild ingredients, viewers will be in complete awe of the chefs’ imaginative solutions that manage to create delicious-tasting dishes. 

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5. Top Chef: The Ultimate Gourmet Showdown

The title says it all - Top Chef showcases the cut-throat world of professional cooking as chefs all across America compete in a series of culinary challenges. Judged by industry heavyweights, the show often pushes the boundaries of what food can be, leaving viewers in shock of the pure artistry, innovation, and technical skill it takes to achieve these dishes. With high stakes, intense competition, and fantastically inventive dishes made to wow, Top Chef is a gourmet show that will for sure entertain and impress even the most discerning foodies.

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If you’re looking to sit back and relax on a Friday night and enjoy some wildly entertaining cooking competitions, you definitely have to check out the shows on this list. These five shows offer different flavours of competition, passion, and creativity, but they’re all equally engaging and fun to watch. There’s something here for everyone so pick out your favourite and enjoy!